Anyone running trickflow heads?
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Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Connecticut
They are good if your someone like me who traded my LE2's for a set of untouched trickflows who want the compression down close to 8:1...im looking more for saftey of the engine at this point then HP...(ill just turn the boost up if I need more power) question though..next year I plan on having these ported from LE...will I lose any CC on the head when getting them ported? They are 62cc's now and I kinda wanna keep em that way after getting ported. My guess is they will see 5,000 miles on them before getting ported.(and 10-12psi from a 70mm turbo)
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,557
From: Carol Stream, Il.
They are good if your someone like me who traded my LE2's for a set of untouched trickflows who want the compression down close to 8:1...im looking more for saftey of the engine at this point then HP...(ill just turn the boost up if I need more power) question though..next year I plan on having these ported from LE...will I lose any CC on the head when getting them ported? They are 62cc's now and I kinda wanna keep em that way after getting ported. My guess is they will see 5,000 miles on them before getting ported.(and 10-12psi from a 70mm turbo)
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 270
From: La.
TFS heads are great for strokers.... they are going to be down on power compared to stock castings that are ported and even if you port the TFS heads you are going to be down on power due to the lower compression.
On the other hand i've made over 600hp on ported TFS heads on a 396 with a mild street cam.
Bret
On the other hand i've made over 600hp on ported TFS heads on a 396 with a mild street cam.
Bret
the key words here are "stock short block". The TFS head IMO is far superior to the stock LT1 head. For most people the purchase of a TFS head just isnt cost effective on an N/A stock short block. You wont gain anything over a stock ported casting from a reputable porter like AI or LE. The TFS heads have a big chamber and will lower compression a great deal on a stock short block or any flat top piston for that matter. To get the compression up you need to mill them to bring the combustion chambers into the 52 to 58 cc range with a flat top to keep the compression up. You might as well run a stock casting for 400 hp. You can do that with a mild port job easily. If you are looking for lower compression you can run the TFS heads with a flat top. To gain the benifits of the TFS head you need to run a big piston.
Only way to run a big chamber TFS head n/a is to change pistons and deck the block. I am running TFS heads with 63cc chambers. .039 gasket and domed piston bring me up to 12.4 to 1. This is not a street motor though, I have to run a domed piston to get the compression up.
Only way to run a big chamber TFS head n/a is to change pistons and deck the block. I am running TFS heads with 63cc chambers. .039 gasket and domed piston bring me up to 12.4 to 1. This is not a street motor though, I have to run a domed piston to get the compression up.
Thanks in advance
Last edited by rickreeves1; Jan 16, 2007 at 10:17 AM.
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From: Carol Stream, Il.
Hey, at least I'm honest. 
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 261
Your still gonna be looking at the same problem. The AFR 220 cc heads are not gonna work properly on stockish displacement (350-355 ci) engine. I don't even think you can use the stock valvetrain setup on the AFR 220 cc LT4s either.
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Queen Creek, Az
If i buy those heads they will be going on a stroker and not a 350.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,518
The compression decrease DOESN'T help. It hurts power, these motors are pigs for compression so give them what they need.
PLEASE for a change listen to Dwayne and Myself on this.
If you are looking for the best head for now and later, get a stock head and get it ported (LE2 or LE3) and when you want a stroker, build a flat top 383 and with those heads you will have a MONSTER with a new cam for the stroker.
Bret
PLEASE for a change listen to Dwayne and Myself on this.
If you are looking for the best head for now and later, get a stock head and get it ported (LE2 or LE3) and when you want a stroker, build a flat top 383 and with those heads you will have a MONSTER with a new cam for the stroker.
Bret
Last edited by SStrokerAce; Jan 16, 2007 at 02:36 PM.
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From: Cinnaminson, NJ
I have to agree with SStrokerAce. If you going to do it in stages then your best option is to go with a stock ported head. It will work now and when you rebuild it will work later.
The TFS heads will flow better than a stock head but you wont be able to use them to their potential with a flat top piston! Your compression will be way below 9 to 1 with a flat top and big chamber. You will have to mill them to get compression back up. When you build the stroker for boost you will need the bigger chamber again to reap the benifits of the TFS heads. Once they have been milled there is no going back. For this reason go with a stock ported head and buy a piston to work with it!!! You will have a monster on your hands both ways with a stock ported head!
If you really want a TFS or AFR head then bite the bullet and build your stroker now to reap the benifits of the heads. You cannot flip back and forth and make the heads work. (well you can if you dont mind paying for it twice)
The TFS heads will flow better than a stock head but you wont be able to use them to their potential with a flat top piston! Your compression will be way below 9 to 1 with a flat top and big chamber. You will have to mill them to get compression back up. When you build the stroker for boost you will need the bigger chamber again to reap the benifits of the TFS heads. Once they have been milled there is no going back. For this reason go with a stock ported head and buy a piston to work with it!!! You will have a monster on your hands both ways with a stock ported head!
If you really want a TFS or AFR head then bite the bullet and build your stroker now to reap the benifits of the heads. You cannot flip back and forth and make the heads work. (well you can if you dont mind paying for it twice)
Last edited by Projectz28; Jan 16, 2007 at 02:56 PM.
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From: Connecticut
Wait I think you have it backwords, When I get them ported I want the CC's to be just as big or bigger if possible..milling them would make them lose size in the CC making the compression higher...I want it as low as possible and esp when I do my next motor I plan on putting alot of PSI to it and im gonna need low compression. Even though my car will be a dog out of boost(with the 8:1) my turbo comes into full boost so fast it wont matter anyways...(thats one way I look at it to feel better about the big loss of compression)
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Well, the question was more or less how much the compression decrease from TFS helps. And also, are there AFR heads that do the same? I'm a total noob when it comes to heads and porting.
Of course the question can't be answered for every single application of which is better though.
Of course the question can't be answered for every single application of which is better though.
Spend a fair amount of time at WIR if you ever get up this way.
Far as compression when I swapped from the stock iron heads to the MILLED AI worked aluminums and a thin gasket compression went up too 11.5 runs wonderfully on 92-3 octane without any detonation problems. Compression is a good thing and the LT1 does well with it and tolerates A LOT.
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From: Hell was full so they sent me to NJ
Couple highjacks in this thread, in the posts above..... if you want to ask Bret a question, don't do it by highjacking someone else's thread. Post your own thread or send him a PM.
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